Though actual ground was broken at the site of a new Super Walmart in West Wareham last week, a groundbreaking ceremony took place Friday, and a large group gathered at the Tobey Road location to celebrate.

“It has been a long-term project for us to bring a new Walmart to the town of Wareham,” said Kevin Kilker, a public relations representative for Walmart. “We’re happy to be part of the community. (There will be) more jobs, a bigger store, a newer store, and an updated store.”

Several employees of the current East Wareham location were on hand as well as a list of others from Wareham, and the group applauded Kilker's remarks.

Kilker said the store itself will be approximately 150,000 square feet in size, and will include a full service grocery section including things like produce, seafood, a deli, and much more.

“We’re very excited about this move,” said Kilker.

“I am a huge fan of the Super Walmarts,” said State Representative Susan Gifford (R-Wareham), who noted that she normally would frequent other Super Walmarts on her trips between Boston and Wareham.  “I’m absolutely delighted that I’ll be able to do my Super Walmart shopping in Wareham. Economic development is key to the life of the community. If you don’t have economic development, you’re going to get left behind."

Selectman Alan Slavin said that Massachusetts is a very difficult and expensive state to operate and build businesses in, and that it took over three years total just to get the project in motion.

“It’s been a long project,” Slavin said. “This project should have started two years ago. There have been a myriad of issues."

Slavin said that one of the obstacles they faced was the presence of eastern box turtles on site. They are listed as a species of special concern under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act.

Slavin said hurdles included permitting for the widening of Route 28 (which is scheduled to take place some time in the near future), among other issues.

“Because of all these layers, everything gets delayed."

But he said Walmart is paying for a majority of the work to take place. “The cost is minimal to the state.”

Slavin also said that with the newer development at Wareham Crossing, Rosebrook Park, and now at the new Super Walmart site, the area along Route 28 in West Wareham is becoming a hub of activity in the town.

“This is probably going to be the center of Wareham down the line,” said Slavin, who noted that he and other town officials were working with Walmart to find some sort of replacement for them at their current East Wareham location. “Losing traffic (from the East Walmart location) is going to be detrimental to East Wareham."

“We have some interesting concepts,” he added, though he said he could not elaborate on them at the time.

“It’s a great thing for the town of Wareham,” said store manager Paul Janderow, who said the newer, bigger Super Walmart would add somewhere between 80-100 jobs to the already 200 or so working at the East Wareham store.

“Everyone will move over,” said Janderow.

The land is owned by brothers Scott and Howard Robertson of S & H Realty, Robertson's Auto Salvage, and Robertson's GMC.

Scott Robertson said they agreed on a long-term lease with Walmart, and that there are plans to develop four other parcels on land on the property for other businesses such as restaurants. The Walmart property sits on 26 acres, and there are 3.5 acres along Route 28 set aside for the other potential businesses. A back parcel of land will remain undisturbed.

“We’re invested in Wareham," said Robertson. "I’m so pleased with it. It’s a big moment for the town.”